TDs and Senators to receive security briefings amid safety fears

Members of the Oireachtas are to receive briefings on security measures from an Garda Síochána amid increasing fears for politicians' safety in recent years.

The briefings have been organised for TDs, Senators, as well as Ministers and will take place later this month.

In an email on Thursday, Leinster House superintendent Teresa Doolan advised Oireachtas members that two Garda security briefing sessions would be organised for February 16th, and 23rd.

The briefings would be led by Sgt Sean O’Sullivan, divisional crime prevention officer from the south central Dublin Metropolitan Region.

Universal Social Charge cannot be abolished, says Donohoe

---

Cost of living: State to cut public transport fares and offer €200 energy rebate

---

Coalition urged to make NMH decision soon to avoid further delay

---

Remote voting for new parent TDs among potential referendum proposals

---

The briefings would be limited to 30 people per session, with Oireachtas members asked to indicate if they wished to attend. Further security briefings would be organised if required, deputies and Senators were told.

Similar security briefings for political staff would also be arranged by the Oireachtas at a later date.

Members were also advised that they could avail of Garda security reviews of their constituency offices, from a local divisional crime prevention officer.

During the pandemic, groups of anti-lockdown and anti-vaccine activists held protests outside the homes of several politicians, including Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly.

Stronger security measures have been introduced in Leinster House in recent years, such as screening of visitors.

Minister of State for disability services Anne Rabbitte recently spoke about how she has changed how she works in her constituency office, due to concerns for her safety.

Ms Rabbitte said she was prevented from leaving her constituency office by a member of the public for close to 40 minutes during one instance.

Following the incident she said she no longer works alone in the office, and arranges meetings with constituents on an appointment-only basis.

Last year British Conservative MP David Amess was stabbed to death during a constituency clinic in Essex, more than five years after the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox in 2016.